Participant Authentication via a Conference User Interface

Abstract

Various embodiments of systems, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for authenticating a participant in an online conference via a graphical user interface. One such method comprises: determining a conference event requesting authentication of a participant by a conferencing system hosting a conference via a communication network; in response to the conference event, presenting a signature capture area to the participant in a conference interface via a graphical user interface; monitoring location coordinates of an input device in the signature capture area; converting the location coordinates into a participant electronic signature; determining that the participant electronic signature matches a stored electronic signature associated with the participant; and in response to determining the match, authenticating the participant for the conference event.

1 . A method for authenticating a participant in an online conference via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:
 determining a conference event requesting authentication of a participant by a conferencing system hosting a conference via a communication network;   in response to the conference event, presenting a signature capture area to the participant in a conference interface via a graphical user interface;   monitoring location coordinates of an input device in the signature capture area;   converting the location coordinates into a participant electronic signature;   determining that the participant electronic signature matches a stored electronic signature associated with the participant; and   in response to determining the match, authenticating the participant for the conference event.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the conference event requesting authentication of the participant comprises presenting a log-in screen to the participant in the conference interface, and wherein the signature capture area is presented in the log-in screen. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the conference event requesting authentication of the participant comprises presenting a participant vote screen for receiving a vote on an issue related to the conference, and wherein the signature capture area is presented in the participant vote screen. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the conference event requesting authentication of the participant comprises receiving a request to distribute an information source to the participant. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conference event comprises one of a participant log-in event, a participant approval event, and a secure distribution event. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring the location coordinates of the input device comprises detecting a trace pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the signature capture area is presented with a reference grid comprising a plurality of nodes, and the detecting the trace pattern comprises receiving a node-to-node trace sequence. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the input device comprises one of a touchscreen device and a cursor associated with the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining that the participant electronic signature matches the stored electronic signature comprises:
 sending the participant electronic signature and a corresponding participant identifier to the conferencing system;   the conferencing system determining the stored electronic signature associated with the participant identifier;   the conferencing system comparing the participant electronic signature to the stored electronic signature;   the conferencing system authenticating the participant for the conference event; and   the conferencing system enabling the conference event via the conference interface.   
     
     
         10 . A computer program embodied in a computer readable medium and executable by a processor, the computer program for authenticating a participant in an online conference via a graphical user interface, the computer program comprising logic configured to:
 receive a request from a conferencing system via a communication network to authenticate a participant for a conference event;   in response to the request, present a signature capture area to the participant in a conference interface via a graphical user interface;   monitor location coordinates of an input device in the signature capture area;   convert the location coordinates into a participant electronic signature;   provide the participant electronic signature with a corresponding participant identifier to the conferencing system; and   receive an authentication response from the conferencing system that the participant electronic signature matches a stored electronic signature associated with the participant identifier.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein the logic configured to present the signature capture area further comprises logic configured to present the signature capture area in a log-in screen. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein the wherein the logic configured to present the signature capture area further comprises logic configured to present the signature capture area in a participant vote screen for receiving a vote from the participant on an issue related to the conference. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein further comprising logic configured to distribute a document to the participant in response to the authentication response. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein the logic configured to monitor the location coordinates of the input device comprises detecting a trace pattern. 
     
     
         15 . The computer program of  claim 14 , wherein the signature capture area is presented with a reference grid comprising a plurality of nodes, and the logic configured to detect the trace pattern comprises logic configured to capture a node-to-node trace sequence. 
     
     
         16 . The computer program of  claim 10 , wherein the input device comprises one of a touchscreen device and a cursor associated with the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         17 . A computer system for providing an online conference, the computer system comprising:
 a conferencing system for establishing a conference between a plurality of participants via a communication network; and   a client device in communication with the conferencing system via the communication network, the client device comprising a memory, a processor and a participant authentication module embodied in the memory and executed by the processor, the participant authentication module for authenticating one of the participants for a conference event, the participant authentication module comprising logic configured to:   in response to a conference event requesting authentication of the participant, present a signature capture area to the participant in a conference interface via a graphical user interface;   monitor location coordinates of an input device in the signature capture area;   convert the location coordinates into a participant electronic signature; and   authenticate the participant by matching the participant electronic signature to a stored electronic signature associated with the participant identifier.   
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the logic configured to present the signature capture area further comprises logic configured to present the signature capture area in one of a log-in screen and a participant vote screen. 
     
     
         19 . The computer system of  claim 17 , further comprising logic configured to: distribute a document to the participant in response to the authentication. 
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 17 , wherein the logic configured to monitor the location coordinates of the input device comprises detecting a trace pattern, and wherein the signature capture area is presented with a reference grid comprising a plurality of nodes, and the logic configured to detect the trace pattern comprises logic configured to capture a node-to-node trace sequence.